Saints defensive leader of past eight seasons hints that he might be on his way out of New Orleans in 2026 free agency
Replacing him on and off the field won’t be easy for the Saints.
The New Orleans Saints may lose one of their most beloved players from the past decade on defense soon.
Demario Davis is set to be a free agent, and it doesn’t sound like a return to New Orleans is set in stone after his latest comments.
Saints star linebacker Demario Davis may be open to leaving New Orleans in free agency
In an appearance with Kay Adams, the long-time linebacker and defensive leader for the Saints made a reveal that plenty of people weren’t expected. Davis even surprised Adams when he unveiled that he will be playing next year in the NFL – not necessarily just for the Saints.
Davis did not say he wouldn’t be returning to New Orleans, but it was clear that all options are on the table as he is set to enter free agency this offseason.
The eight-year Saints veteran led the team in tackles this past season with 143. While he may not be quite at the peak of his game physically, Davis is still a very impactful defender – whose instincts and playmaking ability can still shift the entire outlook of a unit.
Seeing Davis out of black and gold would be a tough reality for Saints fans, as he’s become such a pivotal piece to a defense that has seen some extremely high peaks during his time in their front seven. It would be a notable roster hole to fill, as well as an emotional gap, for the Saints next season.
The future of Pete Werner and Danny Stutsman
If Davis does exit, the linebacker position would be one that becomes a potential draft need earlier on, as well as a point of focus defensively for free agency. Pete Werner has shown some inconsistencies over the past two years, but he did finish this past campaign strong under DC Brandon Staley.
As for Stutsman, he saw his role grow as the season went on this year. He began the season solely on special teams, but he garnered around a quarter of snaps per game over the final month of the season.
Plenty of that was for the staff to see him in action in order to make adjustments to his game to improve his development. While his snap counts did fluctuate, it was clear that the team’s confidence in the rookie linebacker was growing.
Stutsman could see a starting role in 2026, depending on how the Saints attack the rest of the offseason – including Davis’ future with New Orleans.
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